Low-molecular-weight polysaccharides from Agaricus blazei Murrill modulate the Th1 response in cancer immunity

To assess the effect of low-molecular-weight polysaccharides from Agaricus blazei Murrill (ABP-AW1) as an immunoadjuvant therapy for type 1 T-helper (Th1) responses in tumorigenesis, C57BL/6 mice were inoculated subcutaneously with ovalbumin (E.G7-OVA). After 3, 10 and 17 days, the mice were immunized with PBS, OVA alone, or OVA and ABP-AW1, at low (50 mu g), intermediate (100 mu g) or high (200 mu g) doses. Tumor growth was examined and compared among the groups, as were the following parameters: Splenocyte viability/proliferation, peripheral blood CD4(+)/CD8(+) T cell ratio, serum OVA-specific IgG1 and IgG2b, secretion of interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon (IFN)-gamma, and IFN-gamma production on a single cell level from cultured splenocytes. Tumor growth in mice treated with OVA and ABP-AW1 (100 or 200 mu g) was significantly slower, compared with in the other groups at the same time-points. OVA with 100 or 200 mu g ABP-AW1 was associated with a higher number of total splenocytes, a higher ratio of peripheral blood CD4+/CD8+ T-lymphocytes, higher serum levels of OVA-specific Th1-type antibody IgG2b and greater secretion of the Th1 cytokines IL-1 and IFN-gamma from splenocytes. ABP-AW1 is a promising immunoadjuvant therapy candidate, due to its ability to boost the Th1 immune response when co-administered with a cancer vaccine intended to inhibit cancer progression.